


you'll be counting stars

by ElasticElla



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Established Relationship, F/F, Selkies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:06:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24415624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: Susan has heard many a story about what happens to selkies who lose their cloaks.
Relationships: Hannah Abbott/Susan Bones
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: Summer Spinoff, femslashficlets: tarot prompt challenge





	you'll be counting stars

**Author's Note:**

> title modified from one republic's counting stars
> 
> for [summer spinoff](https://elasticella.dreamwidth.org/33116.html) \o/

Susan has heard many a story about what happens to selkies who lose their cloaks. She knows some too, well enough – personally enough – to tell them around the underwater volcano. The closest one is of her auntie Amelia, skin stolen by a fisherman always looking for a bigger prize. Amelia still spends most of her time in the ocean water, but her human legs swim slow and she cannot be alone, near defenseless now. (That she is stronger on land is an irony lost to no one, that she refuses to ride the easier tide, to forego her home.)

Susan knows of selkies who have lost their sealskins through foolishness and love and accidents and tragedy. There are so very many ways to lose a thing, but Susan never truly worried about herself. She transformed into a person rarely, didn’t allow the cloak out of her hands or to fall asleep. Only went places the humans didn’t know of, taking every possible precaution. (Sometimes it feels like her family is cursed with how often their forms are stolen.) 

There is little that appeals to her on the shore. Beneath the waves, she and Hannah can race each other to far off cove, loser gathers lunch. Under water, they can kiss forever, have nothing to fear. And far out on the ocean, far enough that no human can discern their floating bodies bathed in moonlight, they can find constellations. Susan likes to recite the stars’ true origins, Hannah prefers making new stories up each time.

It’s a happy life, simple as it may be. Full of colorful shells and floating algae gardens and the waves’ music. They get to visit the baby seals when the season is right, bring them fish in exchange for cuddles. 

Over time, Hannah grows restless with the repetitions, and Susan allows herself to be persuaded into a game on shore. The sun is out of the sky and there have been no boats today around land, they should be safe.

They race along the shore, and while Hannah tends to win in the water, Susan finds herself alone on the dark shore with sandy feet. Raced to the cliff they picked, collecting a few wildflowers. 

Only Hannah doesn’t show up, a deep pang in her gut as she races back, heartbeat tripling. 

Hannah is gone, her sealskin is gone, and Susan has never felt so lost.


End file.
